Double-deck stock-car



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. B. C. HICKS.

DOUBLE DECK STOGK GAR. l

Patented` May 5,1891.

.(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen 2.

B. o. HICKS. f

DOUBLE DECK STOCK GAR.

No. 451,682. Patented May 5, 1891.

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UNITED v STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BOI-IN CI-IAPIN HICKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE HICKS STOCK CAR COMPANY, OF VES" VIRGINIA.

DOUBLE-mack STOCK-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,682, dated May 5, 1891.

Application filed September 8, 1890. Serial No. 364,238. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it knownthat I, BoHN CHAPIN Hicks, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the lcounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Double-Deck Stock-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to combination or double-deck stock-cars. A doubledeck stock-car is one which has a horizontal intermediate partition, floor, or deck which divides the ca` into upper and lower compartments, the purpose of the intermediate or double deck being to increase the capacity of the car for carrying small animals, such as sheep or hogs. In the most approved stockcars of the present time the double deck is made removable, so that the car becomes a combination-car, adapted both for. the transportation of small animals-such as sheep and hogs-and of large animalssuch as cattle and horses-t-he double deck being removed when cattle are to be transported.v It is also desirable that the double deck should be made removable, in order thatthe car may be utilized as an ordinary box freight-ear for carrying ordinary or dead freight, since under ordinary circumstances live stock is only shipped in one direction on a railroad. In providing a stock-car with such a removable double deck there are two controlling conditions. When the double deck occupies its normal operative position as a deck, it must have a solid firm support, it must present an unbroken complete plat-form for the animals, and it must as a consequence extend the entire width and length of the car. uncovered openings or breaks in the double deck' are permissible, since the animals wo uld step into them and thus become injured; and it is equally essential that the deck, while movable from its normal position where it forms a second ioor to the car, should nevertheless be a permanent portion of the car and not removable entirely from the car. This is obviously necessary,'since the deck, if movable from the car, would not always be available when needed. Consequently the deck when removed from its operative normal position in the car must be stored within the car, and when thus stored it should interfere with the capacity of the car for carrying cattle (or ordinary dead freight) to the minimum extent and be, if possible, utilized for beneiicial purposes. In order that the double deck may fulfill these essential requirements, it has been the usual practice to make the deck ot a number of sections of such size as to beconveniently handled within the car, and the deck-sections when not in operative position have been stored within the car, in some instances at the ends and in other cases in the roof of the car..: As between storing the decksections in the ends ot thegcar and in the roof, the latter method is preferable, and is adopted in the most approved ears, since valuable space is occupied by storing the sections in the ends of the car, whereas when the sections are stored in the roof of the lcar theyare not only outo't the way but they can also be used for beneficial purposes. The present invention relates particularly to such double -deck cars Where the sections of which the deck is composed are stored wholly at the roof of the car,but in storing the double deck in the roof of the car there are a number of circumstances 'which must be taken into consideration.

the iirst place, it is exceedingly desirable,

whenv the car is used as a eattle-car,thatf,the

interior should be divided into compartments second place, stock is frequently transported for long distances, requiring it to be kept in the car several days. Consequently it becomes necessary, both for humanitarian reasons and for the sake of maintaining the cattle in the best marketable condition, to make provision for feeding and watering the cattle in transit. The space between the roof and IOO the double-doek sections, when the latter are lifted to the roof, affords ample capacity for storing feed during the longest haul, and it is customary in modern stock-cars to provide water-troughs along the sides of the car and a water-distributing tank in communication with the troughs, which tank can be quickly supplied with water at the usual water-supply stations along the railroad and distribute the water uniformly to the watering-troughs. It is desirable that the water-tank should be located in the roof of the car, where it is out of the way, and nea-r the center of the car, so that the troughs may be uniformly supplied with water; but the most important consideration is the necessity for gaining access to the interior of the car. Cattle are frequently thrown down onto the floor of the car, owing to the stoppage and other sudden movements of the train,and also it often happens, especially on an unusually long trip, that one (or more) of the cattle falls down through weakness. Unless such fallen cattle are lifted to their feet they are in danger of being killed, or so badly in jnred as to be unfit for slaughtering, owing to the other cattle in the same compartment trampling upon them. They are also in danger of being smothered to death. Accordingly it is essential to provide sonne practicable and convenient means of access to the interior of the car when the tra-in is in motion, as well as when standing still, to enable one of the stockmen accompanying the train to enter the car and assist the fallen cattle to rise. Access cannot be had through the usual doors at the center of the sides of the car when the train is in motion, and even if entrance could be had through these usual doors the stock man would only gain access to one of the compartments of the car formed by the flexible transverse partitions. The same objections lie to the openings usually provided in the ends of the cars. Accordingly special provisions are necessary for gaining access to the car. In cattle-cars which are not provided with double decks the problem is a simple one, and has been solved by means of doors in the roof of the car. Doors so located are exceedingly well adapted for this purpose, since the roofs of the cars afford the usual means of communication from car to carin a freight-train, and they are consequently conveniently accessible to the stockmen when the train is either standing or in motion; but when, for reasons already suggested, the double-deck sections in a combination-car have been elevated to the roof, communication to the interior of the ear through the roof has been cutoff. Several attempts have been made to enable access to be had through outwardly-swinging doors or shutters in the sides of the car; but they have proven to be impracticable. Such outwardly swinging parts cannot be utilized when the train is in motion, since they are in danger of striking fixed structures along the track, such as bridges, signal-posts, and the like, and passL ing or standing trains.

Now the object of the present invention is to so construct, arrange, and operate the movable double deck that it may fulfill all of the essential features of a double deck, and at the same time be properly related to and combined with the other essential features of the combination-car, so that each feature of the car may accomplish its particular functions perfectly and properly without being interfered with or adversely affected by the double deck. In other words, the object of the invention is to take a stock-car which has the openings in the roof, the vertically-movable transverse partitions, and the watering appliances which go to make upa perfect cattlecar, and to apply thereto a movable double deck, which when positioned for use forms a firm solid unbroken second floor, and which may be lifted entirely into the roof when not in use, and when there not only be Wholly out of the way and form a food-storage receptacle, but also permit access to the interior of the car through the roof-openings and permit the free and unobstructed use of the movable transverse partitions and of the watering appliances.

'lhe objects of the invention are accomplished by the novel construction of the seetions of which the double deck is composed, the location of the deck-sections in the car relatively to the position of the appliancesin the car, and the mode of operation in raising and lowering the deck-sections. Each section of which the deck is composed is entirely unattached to the other deck-sections and is independent of them in its movements. Each section when in position for use extends entirely across the car, and its ends rest upon the beltry-rails, which afford a Iirm and solid support, so that each section can be appropriately termed a transverse section, since it has no break or joint at right angles to its length. lVhen the deck-sections are in position for use, the longitudinaledgesof one section fit closely against the adjacent longitudinal edges ofthe seetionson both sides thereof, so that the several sections together form an unbroken second floor or deck. VVhen elevated into the roof, the deck-sections still occupy a horizontal position and extend transversely across the car; but they do not when thus elevated form an unbroken ceiling or 'false roof, but, on the contrary, transverse spaces are left between adjacent sections, and the deck-sections are so arranged and located that a portion of these transverse spaces coincide with the roof-openings. Others occur where the vertical movable partitions are located, and still others occur at the place where the water-supply tank (or tanks) is secured. Now to enable these transverse spaces between adjacent deck-sections to be provided when the deck-sections are raised each decksection is made of two parts hinged together. The joint between the two .parts or leaves of IOO IIO

each deck-section extends longitudinally with reference to the deck section, and consequently transversely with reference to the ear. The two parts or leaves of each decksection are so hinged together that when the deck-section occupies its normal position as a part of the double deck they liein the same plane side by side; but when the deck-section is elevated to the roof the two leaves or parts fold the one upon the other, so that the longitudinal space in the car occupied by the deck-section when raised is less than when the deck-section is positioned for use. Consequently when the several deck-sections thus constructed are elevated transverse spaces are left between them.

The present improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wl1erein- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of a double-deck or combination ear provided with the improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same. Fig. 3 isa perspective View of one of the double-deck sections, and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the hooks employed for holdin ga deck-section in its elevated position.-

Referring to the drawings, A is the floor, B the roof, C the side studdings, D the carlings, and F the beltry-rails, of an ordinary stock-car.

The ear is shown provided with verticallymovable flexible transverse partitions J J and a centrally-located water-distributing tank K. Two of the flexible partitions J are shown, which is the number employed in the most approved modern cattle-cars, whereby the car is divided into three compartments of approximately equal size. Each partition is flexible and movable vertically, each being adapted to be rolled up when not in use. When rolled up, as shown in Fig. l, the partitions are entirely within the roof and out of the way, so that they do not obstruct the car for dead freight. The water-distributing tank K is shown at its most approved position in the rooi` of the car and at the center. The tank, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, extends transversely across the car, but not all the way across, so that thereis a space left between the ends of the tank and the sides of the car of sufficient size to enable a stockman to pass.

The roof of' the car is provided with roofopenings P P, which are adapted to be closed by suit-able doors. These openings are placed at proper intervals and with due relation to the other appliances of' the car. As shown in Fig. l, there are roof-openings at live points, which number is determined by the following considerations: There is a roofopening in line with each transverse partition J, so that the partitions can be operated from the roof of the car. Then .there is a roof-open ing located centrally over each of the three compartments into which the car is divided, and through these openings access is had to the several compartments f'or the purpose of attending to the cattle. The opening into the center compartment comes in line with one end of the water-tank, so that water may be supplied throughthe opening to the watertankand it also communicates with the space between one end of the tank and the side of the car, so that an attendant can gain access to the central compartment. The roof-openings are thus properly disposed to meet the requirement of the car. In Fig. l of the drawings two of the roof-openingsP are shown open, the others being shown closed.

The ear as thus far described constitutes simply a cattle-car, and the features and appliances thus far described possess in themselves no novelty-that is to say, flexible transverse partitions, water-distributing tanks, and openings in the root' are well known in the art.

The ear is, it will be understood, to be equipped, as is usual, with drinking-troughs properly arranged, (which, however, are not shown in the drawings,) and with feed-racks which are indicated by dottedlines on Fig. 2.

The drawings are intended to show a modern cattle-car equipped with the most approved appliances.

The double deck is formed of a plurality of independent deck-sections E e. The proper number of these independent decl -seetions is determined by the length of the ear, the number of compartments into which it is divided by the vertical ytransverse partitions and the considerations relating to convenience in IOO handling. The drawings illustrate a ear of' about thirty-six feet in length (a usual and customary length) divided into three compartments. Accordingly the double deck is shown as made up of six independent sections of equal size, two being provided for each compartment. This makes the decksections of a convenient size for handling. Each deck-section is as a whole a parallelogram, and extends transversely across the car without any joint extending longitudinally of the'car. Each deck-section is supported when positioned for use by its ends resting on the beltry-rails F, whereby a firm and-solid support is obtained. Each decksection is composed of two parts, members, or leaves E and e. These two parts or members are separated bya joint extendingtransversely of the car, and they are hinged together by any suitable hinges, as 71., so that the one part can fold upon the other, the two parts, however, not being detachable or independent of each other. Each deck-section is shown as strengthened by truss-rods G and truss-blocks g. The two parts E e of each deck-section are so arranged relatively that when resting on the beltry-rails they form a plane unbroken upper surface, there being no open joint between them,and the several deck-sections when in position for use lie closely together, as shown at the left in Fig. l, so that an unbroken second floor or double deck is formed. lVhen, however, each deck-sec- IlO tion is raised, one of the two parts of which it is formed is folded upon the other part, as indicated at the right in Fig. l, so thattransverse spaces p are provided between adjacent deck-sections. The. several deck-scctions are so arranged relatively to each other and to the other appliances of the car that when the decksections are elevated the transverse spaces p are in line and coincide with the roof-openings P, and also occur where the verticaltransversepartitions J and water-dis tributing tank K are located, as indicated in Figi. In this manner the objects of the invention are accomplished.

The means employed for raising and lowering the several deck-sections independently of each other and for holding the deck-sections when elevated in a horizontal position and in a secure manner are as follows: Each deck-section is joined to the car by one or more cables L, (two, one at each end, being the preferred number,) such cables serving to support the decksections during the folding and unfolding operations and being like and serving the same purpose as the rods Il, set forth in LettersPatcnt of the United States No. Sielii, granted to me June 22, 1886. The cables are flexible, so that flexible junctions between the deck-sections and tbe car are provided, and they are made long enough so that when the deck is lowered for use no part of the weight of the stock will be devolved upon the cables, the beltry-rails taking up the entireburden at suchtimes. The cables are attached at their upper-ends to L-shaped brackets lli, or to the carlings, as preferred. The brackets M are not essential, because the cables will sustain the raised and folded decksections at the side where said bracket-s are located, should the brackets be omitted. Movable hooks N are employed to hold up the other edge of the deck-section. These hooks are supported in metal holders O, which are adapted to be secured to the carlings by bolts, as shown, and the hooks are movable both vercally and rotatively in said holders. The hooks are provided with an upper member/1i., which is bent to a horizontal position, and it rests in one or the other of the grooves o, ac cording as it is in the operative position or in one of non-use. rlhese grooves lie at right angles to each other and hold the hook in whichever position it may be placed. Then the deck is to be either raised or lowered, the hook occupies the position shown at Fig. i, lying in a plane parallel with the carlings; but when it is to be used to sustain the deck it is turned to a position at right angles to the one shown at Fig. 4, and will then catch under and sustain the raised-deck section, as shown at Fig. i. Each groove ollas inclined sides, as shown, the object of which is to insure the hook being restored automatically to its proper position in case it should be accidentally misplaced by the jarring of the car.

The parts of each folding-deck section are preferably so hinged together, as shown, that the under sides of the two parts come together when the section is folded, the special obj ect being to avoid bringing the upper or Iioor surfaces together, which would be objectionable, because those surfaces are usually covered with manure, and could not well be folded one upon the other by reason of such accu- 1n ulations. Another advantage attend ing this preferred manner of hin ging is that when the deck-section is reversed, as it is in the act of raising` it to the upper position, the folding member e is sustained, and neither hangs down nor requires means tohold it up against the main member E.

I claim as my invention l. Astock-car having a roof provided with a plurality of roof-openings therein, and a double deck composed of independentlymovable transverse sections which are movable from a position where they form a double deck to a position where each section is wholly at the roof of the car, each deck-see tion extending transversely and horizontally across the car both when in position for use and when raised to the roof, and cach of said deck-sections being composed of folding members adapted to be folded one upon the other when said section is raised to thereof, whereby a plurality of spaces are provided between adjacent deck-sections when the same are elevated, and said deck-sections being so located when raised that the spaces between them are in line with the roof-openings, substantially as set forth.

2. A stock-car having vertical transverse partitions movable vertically, and a double deck composed of independentlymovable transverse sections which are movable from a position where they form adonble deck to the roof of the car, each deck-section extending transversely and horizontally across the car both when in position for use and when raised to the roof, and each of said deck-sections bcing composed of folding members adapted to be folded one upon the other when said scction is raised to the roof, whereby spaces are provided between adjacent decksections when the same are elevated, and said decksections being so located when raised that the spaces between a portion of them occur where said vertical transverse partitions are located, substantially as set forth.

'ISOIIN CHAllN HICKS. lv'itncsses:

II. M. MUNDAY, Enw. .lvnnrs IOO IIO 

